Houston to 'review and evaluate' football program, says president

University of Houston President Renu Khator left, speaks as Major Applewhite right, looks on during a press conference announcing Applewhite as the next University of Houston football head coach at TDECU Stadium Dec. 12, 2016, in Houston.

University of Houston President Renu Khator left, speaks as Major Applewhite right, looks on during a press conference announcing Applewhite as the next University of Houston football head coach at TDECU ... more

Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle

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University of Houston President Renu Khator left, speaks as Major Applewhite right, looks on during a press conference announcing Applewhite as the next University of Houston football head coach at TDECU Stadium Dec. 12, 2016, in Houston.

University of Houston President Renu Khator left, speaks as Major Applewhite right, looks on during a press conference announcing Applewhite as the next University of Houston football head coach at TDECU ... more

Photo: James Nielsen, Houston Chronicle

Houston to 'review and evaluate' football program, says president

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University of Houston chancellor and president Renu Khator said Sunday the school will “review and evaluate” the football program in the next few weeks.

UH ended a 8-5 season under coach Major Applewhite with a 70-14 loss to Army in Saturday’s Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.

“We have had a tough season, for sure, with a lot of injuries,” Khator said. “We understand. We will review and evaluate.”

Hours after UH’s final game, associate head coach/offensive coordinator Kendal Briles resigned and was announced Sunday to the same position at Florida State. The move comes less than a month after UH invested financial resources to keep Briles, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $2.1 million that made him the highest-paid assistant from a non-Power Five program.

“That’s OK,” she said. “Yesterday’s game was disappointing, but it's not the end of the world.”

Chris Pezman, UH’s vice president for athletics, issued a non-committal statement late Saturday in response to a SB Nation report that Applewhite’s future at the school was in jeopardy. Applewhite is 15-11 with three bowl losses in two-plus seasons.

“Within the last several weeks, we have shown our commitment to our football program under Major with salary increases to specific positions in an attempt to retain his staff for the future,” Pezman said in the statement.

Khator said she still has confidence in Applewhite.

“That’s why we have invested,” Khator said. “We do feel that way. Right now, I’m going to chill out and have a nice holiday season and then think about it.”

Two years ago, Khator grabbed headlines when she told a group of supporters that “the winning is defined at the University of Houston as 10 and 2. We’ll fire coaches at 8 and 4.”